Plant Conservation in Portugal

(See also Madeira)

National Red Data Books

A Red Data Book for vascular plants in mainland Portugal is being finished and is expected to be published during 1999. It will include maps of about 200 species.

Plantas a proteger em Portugal continental [Plants to be protected in mainland Portugal]. A. M. Dray. 1985. Pp. 56. Servico Nacional de Parques, Reservas e Conservacao da Natureza, Lisbon.

Lista Vermelha dos Briófitos da Península Ibérica [Red List of Bryophytes of the Iberian Peninsula]. C. Sérgio, C. Casas, M. Brugués & R.M. Cros. 1994. ICN, Lisboa. 45 pp. Lists 2 (out of 6) hornworts, 82 (out of 176 liverworts) and 192 (out of 449) mosses for mainland Portugal.

Azores: List of rare, threatened and endemic plants in Europe. Portugal – Azores. Threatened Plants Unit, IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre. 1983. In List of rare, threatened and endemic plants in Europe (1982 edition), pp. 247-250. Nature and Environment Series No. 27, Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France.

Floras (mainland)

Flora de Portugal. A.X. Pereira Coutinho. 1939. Bertrand Lda. Lisbon (mainland Portugal vascular plants).

Nova Flora de Portugal, vols I & II. J.A. Franco. 1971 & 1984. Lisbon. (dicotyledons from mainland Portugal and Azores).

Flora Iberica, 11 vols so far, in 12 books – Vols 1–6, 7(1), 7(2), 8, 10, 14 and 21. Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC, Madrid, Spain. 4 vols also available on CD-ROM (1996). First 10 vols covered some 50% of the Spanish and Portuguese flora. Web site (includes Vols. 1, 5, 6, 7(1), 7(2), 8, 10, 14 & 21 in PDF form).

Vegetation (mainland)

Original cover of temperate deciduous and evergreen forest largely cleared for agriculture or converted to maquis and garique. In the north, some original oak forest remains, with ericaceous heathland in montane regions where forest removed; in central Portugal (near the Tagus river) transitional Mediterranean/Atlantic vegetation with evergreen oaks dominant; true Mediterranean influence felt in the south (e.g. Ceratonia siliqua and Chamaerops humilis). Cork Oak (Quercus suber) still abundant as natural stands up to 1600 m and in extensive plantations. (Davis, S.D. et al. (1986). Plants in Danger: What do we know? IUCN, Gland, Switzerland).

Vegetation (Azores)

Along the coast a cultivated zone, in which the shrub Myrica faya is characteristic. At 500-1350 m is a zone of scrub woodland, dominated by Juniperus and Erica, with Laurus, Ilex and other shrubs (Sjögren, 1973). Laurel forest principally remains in the Pico da Vara area on eastern São Miguel, but also in small areas on Pico, Faial and São Jorge. (Davis, S.D. et al. (1986). Plants in Danger: What do we know? IUCN, Gland, Switzerland).

Plant Conservation Programmes (mainland)

Seven Portuguese botanic gardens and one institute are joined in the Portuguese section of the Associação Ibero-Macaronésica de Jardins Botânicos, founded in 1985, which organizes symposia and workshops. Contact: Prof. Fernando Catarino. Address: Museu, Laboratório e Jardim Botânico, Rua da Escola Politécnica, 1294 Lisboa Codex.

Seven Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) have been proposed to conserve plant species on Annex IIb of the EU Habitats Directive for mainland Portugal.

Key Institutions

Instituto da Conservação da Natureza, Rua da Lapa, 73, 1200 Lisboa. (government agency for nature conservation).

Museu Nacional de História Natural e Jardim Botânico [National History Museum and Botanic Garden], Rua da Escola Politécnica, 1294 Lisboa Codex.

Ministerio do Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais - Direcçao Geral do Ambiente, Apartado 7584, Alfragide, 2720 Amadora.

References cited

Sjögren, E. (1973). Recent changes in the vascular flora and vegetation of the Azores Islands. Mem. Soc. Brot. 13, 453 pp. (Includes details on 414 taxa of vascular plants).

Acknowledgement

Based on material prepared by Hugh Synge for the Council of Europe, 1999-2000, with information and help from Lurdes Serpa Carvalho, Portugal.

Last updated May 2006.